This year WS AG Center increased our technology offerings with new hardware and services to help customers be more profitable using modern agriculture technology.  We have had a lot of positive feedback from customers who are using our RTK GPS network, Ag Leader planter monitoring and control, Precision Planting CleenSweep adjustable row cleaners, 360 Bullet Ripper points, and of course the Ag Leader Yield monitors. We are also helping customers with their data and providing some intensive scouting services to help customers fine tune their crop management   strategies. Our technology allows us to track side-by-side hybrid performance throughout the season even before the combine runs. Using the drone, we have been able to detect plant stress in the field, take tissue and soil tests to determine the cause of the stress, and with yield maps we will determine the cost of the plant stress and the best remedy for upcoming years.

The cost of being nutrient deficient in a crop can vary, but saving a 3 bushel loss in corn or just 1 bushel in beans justifies grid-sampling the field. Most fields vary in their capacity of producing crops as there are changes in soil type and slope that affect yield. Having yield data or in-season imagery helps us identify those areas so we can build soil nutrients specifically where we know they will benefit us. We also use the yield data to replenish the nutrients we remove so we don’t become deficient in the high performing areas of the field. I like making the analogy that applying fertilizer without using grid sample and yield data is similar to betting on every square in the game of roulette. You lose as much if not more than you gain. Data allows us to know what areas to bet on, keeps us from throwing dollars at areas with little chance of return, and it shows us the areas that will pay back multiple dividends off our investment.

Starting to be more precise with your  application is simple. Start by having current grid sample data so you can know where the high and low spots are in your field. If you don’t currently have a combine that can give you yield maps, let us get some aerial imagery before harvest that will give us a picture of the variability in the field. If you have yield maps we can use those to build a map for our spreaders to apply the right nutrients for what the crops removed. If you have yield maps or aerial   imagery we can also just take individual samples in areas that show high yield or low yield and build  fertilizer recommendations from there.

In summary, the technology is here to enable us at WS AG Center to help you be more efficient with your inputs. Whether you are looking for equipment to help you gather your own data, or if you want us to gather the data for you, we are here to help, and we can help you through each step of the process. Wishing you a safe harvest season!

Andrew Tucker

Corn likes to have a “mini-drought” in June to develop roots, followed by 1” of rain per week. In most of southwest Wisconsin our rainfall is equal to if not slightly higher than 2016. The main difference in 2017 has been that the rainfalls have not been consistent. There have been multiple 2-3 week periods without rain that have created some plant stress. We’re expecting to see a greater advantage to fungicide applications that help reduce the impact of stress on the crop.

Usually corn reaches maturity and normal dry down if kernels are dented by Labor Day. There was some concern about how cooler temperatures might affect corn maturity. Much of the corn was dented by Labor Day in southwest Wisconsin. Something else to consider is how much yield are we shorting ourselves by planting hybrids that dent early and don’t utilize the full growing season?

 Length of daylight has a greater effect on corn maturity than temperature does during kernel fill. Again, photosynthesis and chlorophyll production are key to finishing the corn crop. This year most ears are averaging 16 kernels around compared to many times we see 18-20 kernels. We need the plant to fill out those kernels to achieve yield, and the more sunlight we can give these plants, the better they will be able to do the job of filling the kernel.

 Late season nitrogen availability and growing full season hybrids is important to reaching the top yield potential. There are several ways of feeding nitrogen to the corn crop, and many products claim to help keep nitrogen available later in season. A majority of corn fields are showing stress from running low on Nitrogen this year. There was a very visible difference where growers used anhydrous ammonia with N-serve as a pre-emerge source of N versus using pre-emerge urea or 28%. We also see a large benefit to sidedress nitrogen, especially where Y-drops were used to place the nitrogen directly over the root zone.  Later season hybrids are showing less stress as the plants have been able to more efficiently use the water that’s been more sporadic than consistent.

 There’s typically a 1.9 bushel advantage per day of maturity for corn. Ex: 109 day hybrids typically have 19 bushel higher potential than 99 day hybrids. According to the University of Wisconsin, the climate and soils across Grant, LaFayette, Green, and some of Iowa County favor corn maturities in the 110-115 day range. Many producers grow shorter maturity corn to be able to have drier corn at harvest. And we all have seen that current 100 day  hybrids are capable of producing the yield we used to see with 110 day hybrids. Losing out on 20 bushels of corn is a much higher cost than an extra couple percentage points in   moisture, especially given the fact that 20-24% moisture is recommended for combining corn.

Agronomic improvements and advancing genetics go hand-in-glove for increasing yields. Just like there’s a 1.9 bushel yield gain for each day longer maturity of corn, there’s also about the same gain made each year with advanced genetics. Without implementing  better farming practices however, we won’t see those increases. This is shown in the UW study at Lancaster, where the  no-nitrogen plot shows no yield difference between the newest genetics and 60 year-old hybrids. Without plant nutrients, both old and new hybrids are yielding 50-60 bushel. If we want to get the most out of the new genetics, then we need to follow modern agronomic practices for planting, feeding, and protecting these genetics.

Questions or Comments? Call me at 608-780-8116 or email andrewt@wsagcenter.com

Andrew Tucker

Agronomy, technology, application and communication are only a few of the skills we will be using to keep your operation working side by side with our operation.  We will be continuing to keep you informed on the lending institutions we work with and any and all new programs that may be available to you.

First National Bank and Trust with offices in Monroe and Argyle is an active Agricultural Lender in Southern Wisconsin.  The bank offers a wide variety of Agricultural Loans that can assist the farmer to achieve its financial goals.  In addition the bank is a USDA / FSA Preferred Lender.  The bank is committed to Agriculture and recognizes its importance to the success of our communities.  The bank has built a team of experienced Agricultural Lenders to serve our communities.

For an appointment, please contact Steve Schneider, Senior Vice President, First National Bank and Trust at 608-328-5123 or at steve.schneider@bankatfirstnational.com.

Laurie Fink

Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve seen or have heard about several fields where the corn leaves have turned purple.  This purple pigment is due to over-accumulation of sugars in the leaves. Sugars are building up in the leaves because not enough of them are being transferred to the plant roots which can be caused by a number of things.  The most common answer is that the problem is caused by a phosphorus deficiency. Low phosphorus inhibits sugar movement from the leaves to the roots but due to the amount of livestock in our area, phosphorus deficient soils aren’t that common so the purple color probably has other causes.  Weather patterns play a role in root development. Cool temperatures and excessively wet or dry conditions reduce root growth and root mass for sugar translocation.  Late planting and hot temperatures generally lead to faster vegetative growth compared to root growth in young corn plants.  Soil compaction and low pH will reduce root growth and phosphorous availability. Plant genetics can dictate how much certain hybrids will produce purple pigment.

The question everyone would like answered is how will this affect yield.  If the problem is a hybrid that readily expressed the pigment or weather related, then the plants will probably grow out of the color with little yield impact. If the problem is due to soil compaction, low phosphorous, or low pH then decreased yield would not be surprising. There are methods available to test for these last three situations if you’re interested.  Contact WS Ag Center for plant tissue, soil, and soil compaction testing.

Mark Kendall